At this point, it’s not like Trump can just flip a switch and have everything go back to the way it was.
For one, many states and municipalities will maintain their own restrictions. In fact, it seems like most of what’s being done right now is at the state and local level, rather than federal.
And I can’t imagine, say, Disney World, for example, opening back up in just a week or two, just because Trump says everything is going to be fine. Likewise, I can’t imagine schools letting students back in right now or sports leagues deciding to finish out their seasons. I certainly can’t picture anyone booking a cruise right now.
And as someone in another thread pointed out, as far as the economy goes, that ship has sailed. Trump declaring the crisis over isn’t going to fix the wreckage that’s already been inflicted or boost investor confidence. In fact nothing, short of scientists stumbling upon a miracle cure for Coronavirus tomorrow, is really going to fix those things in short order.
So when Trump says he wants to open the country back up, what exactly does that mean? What would that look like? Is he going to force the Smithsonian to open back up? Force all the federal workers who’ve been telecommuting to come back into the office? Try to make the states lift the restrictions they have in place?
Trump may want to be a dictator, but he isn’t. Or isn’t yet.
Definitely does not have the power to do your third item (force the states).
I am almost as sure he can’t do the second. It would take too much getting down into the weeds of who has the option of working at home.
The first is an interesting one. I’ll say – probably not. If he does, we could see the first federal workers strike in a very long time, and first ever without a picket line.
Stores and restaurants were closing before governors order them closed. No politician can order me back in.
He’s just running around, frantically screaming “Nothing is happening! All is well! The Dow will rise again soon!”, that’s all. Don’t EVER confuse anything coming out of his gab with even a hint of logical thought. It’s all make belief, like his every “thought”.
I’ve read that Trump wants to open the country back up because he is lonely. Quarantined in the White House with his family. No visiting dignitaries, no rallies, no adoring crowds clapping for every word out of his mouth. No audience except “stupid reporters” who try to hold him accountable for the mess he allowed to happen.
Opening-up the nation will spike COVID cases, fatally overwhelming emergency services. Putin’s puppy wants Americans dead and disabled. It’s not just criminal negligence at the top. See what interests are served here.
I’m a wartime president now. Isn’t it great?
How’s the war going so far? Great right? I’m 10 of 10 in running it. I know the fake media says we lost the Philippines, but that’s a hoax. In any case we’ll have 30 battleships there on Monday morning.
But I know everyone is telling me that this rationing is terrible, and I get it. How can you survive if you don’t have gas to drive to the gold course to play three times a week. I do. Those bombers will never notice the loss of gas for me. When summer comes how can we not drive into the beautiful country. So, effective immediately, I’m taking us off rationing so we can all enjoy the beautiful summer.
The war? There are good people on both sides, you know. In any case, I am such a great negotiator, better than any of the diplomats in the Deep State Department, that I’m going to negotiate a peace with Hitler and Tojo. It will come out great, they’ll give everything back.
If he does something like try to order back to work the few federal employees he does control, like the military, or the white house staff, and a few other groups-- if he attempts to order congress back, whatever, putting people in danger, that might be the move necessary to invoke the “crazy president” amendment. (The 25th.)
Most emergency procedures are imposed below the federal level. Expect something like:
Whereas the world has fallen for a nasty liberal-atheist-media-foreign hoax;
. and
Whereas our country, this beautiful homeland and its beautiful people except as noted,[1] vitally needs to re-open for business, but not all of it at once;
. therefore
I, the official POTUS, do hereby officially order the official closures, for a duration as noted,[2] of all hotels, resorts, lounges, casinos, brothels, golf courses, and parking lots in US territory at home or abroad except as noted.[3] Violators not on good terms with me, the official POTUS, will be branded illegal refugees and interned with all those dirty MexCans and Persians, and their property confiscated as noted.[4] This I do officially decree. Where’s my sword?[5]
. (signed) The Don myself
[1] Native Americans and all others darker than me are excluded.
[2] Duration is until I say so and not a damn minute sooner, capiche?
[3] Exemption granted to properties controlled by the Trmp Organization.
[4] Confiscated properties to be transferred to the Trmp Organization.
[5] My sword is NOT short! NOTHING about me is short! Fake news!
The Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (PHSCC) is the federal uniformed service of the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) and is one of the 8 US uniformed services. Are PHSCC officers commanded by POTUS? Can POTUS direct them to override state emergency health orders to stop quarantines and closures? Do federal executive orders trump state orders?
What happens is the places that listen to him suffer a major spike in two or so weeks once the incubation period is over. Trump probably gets infected if he isn’t already, since it’s a given that he’ll want to start having rallies of his cultists again.
True, but I’m more concerned about governors that haven’t done much at all at the state level - Florida comes readily to mind here.
Here in Texas, it’s marginally better - the counties are taking the initiative over the governor, but we’d still prefer if Abbott had done more and earlier.
